The WBA has named Cuba's Sullivan Barrera (21-1, 14 KOs) the mandatory challenger its light heavyweight champion, Dmitry Bivol (12-0, 10 KOs) of Russia. Barrera is said to be choosing between Bivol and WBO champion Sergey Kovalev for his next fight. The WBA's press release seemed to indicate that Bivol could still make a voluntary defense before fulfilling his mandatory, as the WBA wrote, "This resolution must be complied with no later than July 22, 2018."